Rewriting the Stars - Book 1: The Last King
by OtakuSim13
Summary: The Fates had Percy Jackson's destiny all written out, but someone decided to break the game, and now Percy's fate has changed drastically. Read on as Percy rewrites the stars and finds out hidden secrets about his past that will lead him to make brand new, world altering decisions.
1. A Brief History

_**(Okay, the first part is just like a backstory to what's going on, yeah. This first chapter will mostly be plucked from the first book, but the story will change from the original more as the chapters progress. Tried my best to make the dates and stuff line up correctly…)**_

* * *

(Year 1980) 2:50 AM – 150 miles south of Lake Ontario

Estelle Jackson sighed as she sat between her husband, Jim, and her best friend, Arthur. Jim and Arthur were currently fighting, yelling at each other and attracting the attention of all the nearby passengers on the plane.

"For the last time, Jim. There is nothing going on between me and Estelle!" Arthur slammed his hand on the armrest, startling Jim.

Jim growled back and stood up, "Listen, I know something's been going on between you two. Ever since Sally was born, you two have gotten… infatuated with each other."

Estelle gave her husband a glaring look, "Infatuated? Reign in your horses, Jim. You're the only one infatuated here… infatuated with the idea of me cheating on you with Arthur!"

As the trio's argument got more and more heated, passengers started to whisper among themselves. Having enough, the flight attendants at hand rushed towards the group before things got more out of hand.

"Ever since we had that baby… you stopped loving me." Jim's hostility all but gone, having been replaced with utter sadness.

Hearing those words broke Estelle's heart.

"I have never not loved you." Estelle cried as she sunk to the floor on her knees.

Jim just shook his head, "That's the worst lie you could ever tell yourself."

Jim started to make an inhuman sound, like he was trying to puke out a chainsaw. His back arched, making his spine show clearly through his shirt, and his fingers started to grow longer, growing sharp, black nails.

All of the passengers started screaming, and chaos erupted inside the airplane.

As people were running, praying, and hiding in the toilet, Jim finished his transformation into a grotesque winged demon, with matching black horns and talons.

"WhAt IsSSs HAppennnInGg TooOo meEe?!", Jim screeched as he ripped off the row of seats the trio was previously sitting on, and hurled it at the fazed Arthur. With a loud crash, both man and chair were sent tumbling down the aisle and into a food cart.

Estelle stood up shakily, her eyes still holding tears as she looked at her demonized husband. She took one step back, then started to run away as Demon Jim pursued her.

"COommMMeeE bAAaCkk!" Jim flapped his wings and hovered in the air, before Arthur rammed into him, sending the demon face-first onto the carpeted floor.

"With all my power, I summon you… come to me, Excalibur!"

A blinding golden light enveloped them as both Estelle and Demon Jim were knocked back from Arthur by an invisible force. As the light subsided, Arthur now donned a set of glowing golden armor, and held aloft a similarly designed golden longsword.

With a loud grunt, Arthur swung the sword, however Jim managed to bring up his talons and deflect the blow, making the sword cleave a hole in the side of the plane. With the wind whipping in their faces and various items being sucked out of the plane into the open night sky, man and beast collided in a fierce battle.

Parrying and blocking, jabbing and hacking, it was an utter stalemate. At least until Estelle started to get sucked out of the plane as well, making Arthur glance at her and lose his concentration for a split second, letting Jim land a deadly blow to his chest.

Demon Jim walked over to Estelle who was now hanging from the edge of the plane, slowly losing her grip.

"YOuuU dEessSeRrVee tHIss. FooOr aLL thE pAIIn yOOuu haVeeE cOossSt meEe."

Jim stepped on her hand, breaking her bones as she cried out in agony. But she was saved by Arthur as he grabbed Jim and slammed him into a chair, before driving his sword into Jim's chest.

Rushing towards Estelle, he reached out his hand and grabbed onto her. As he pulled her up, both started to quietly shed tears.

But only one of them saw a fatally wounded Jim standing over Arthur, desperate to finish off both of them along with him. And so, Estelle let go of Arthur, using her good hand to draw her dagger, Carnwennan, and throw it at Jim.

Two yells were heard after that moment.

A yell of pain, anger, and defeat. And a similar yell that held all those emotions, but also one of sorrow and grief.

As Demon Jim crumbled away into dust, Carnwennan clattered onto the floor. With a heavy heart, Arthur picked it up, and slowly walked back to the location where there was once a row of seats, that had been ripped off a few minutes prior.

Looking down, he reached for his bag, taking out a small wooden box. He carefully placed the dagger inside along with a simple necklace, before shedding a tear and wrapping it with a striped red-and-gold ribbon. Quietly, he slipped in a small note before he thrusted it back into his bag, and jumped out of the plane.

As the plane went down, an invisible figure watched over the night sky. This figure cursed at what it had to do, seething inside as he plucked the string of his bow repeatedly.

'If only things had gone differently.'

* * *

(Year 1974) Mt. Olympus

There was a grand party being held as many Olympians, minor gods, and other beings danced and enjoyed the festivities on Olympus. No one really knew why there was a party, and frankly no one really cared. As everyone was occupied with the party, a lone figure hovered over them, searching for it's target. With an almost inaudible grunt of success, the figure sighted the god it needed to find.

The figure swooped over to him, changing form into a beautiful dryad. She sashayed over to him, stopping a few inches away from his face.

"Well, hello there handsome." The dryad inched closer to Eros, licking her lips enticingly as she attempted to seduce Eros. She knew it would be a hard task, as Eros and his wife, Psyche, shared a very deep bond.

Eros have her a once over before rolling his eyes and floating away silently. The dryad growled before sighing in defeat.

"Looks like I'll have to use my powers after all."

With a flick of her wrist, Eros suddenly changed directions, floating back towards the smirking dryad. Grabbing him by the neck, they both disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

(2005) Metropolitan Museum of Art

Percy sighed as he stared at the huge storm brewing across the sky. Beside him sat Grover, his enchilada-loving best friend, who was eyeing his apple hungrily. With a melancholy sigh, Percy threw Grover his apple, the latter munching on it happily.

Percy frowned, deep in thought, as he clutched the necklace his mother had given him a few years back. She said it had belonged to his grandmother's close friend, a man by the name of Arthur Pendare.

The necklace was unusual. A small white stone with a golden 'x' engraved onto it, tied with a weathered, brown string. Percy reminisced the time his mom gave it to him…

*FLASHBACK*

_Sally held back tears as she gave Percy the special necklace that had been left to her by her mother and Arthur. Young Percy looked at it in awe, holding it gingerly before trying it on eagerly._

"_Remember, Percy. If you're ever in danger, this necklace will protect you. Just pull on it and say these words…"_

*PRESENT*

"Rwy'n galw arnoch chi, gwaywffon sanctaidd y nefoedd." Percy whispered under his breath just as Nancy Bobofit dumped her lunch into Grover's lap.

Percy closed his eyes and tried to keep his cool. A second later, Nancy Bobofit was splayed out in the fountain, doused from head to toe. Their demonic teacher, Mrs. Dodds, materialized next to them, sneering happily at Percy.

A few minutes later, Percy and Mrs. Dodds were in a very serious conversation.

"You've been giving us problems, honey," she said.

Percy gulped and said, "Yes, ma'am." He unconsciously started to reach for his necklace, only stopping when Mrs. Dodds glared at his hand accusingly.

She tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket. "Did you really think you would get away with it?"

Her eyes shone with malicious intent, and Percy's heart started to beat faster. His blood racing as he tried to find an escape route in case things went south.

"I'll-I'll try harder, ma'am. "

Right on cue, thunder shook the building.

"We are not fools, Percy Jackson, " Mrs. Dodds said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain. "

Percy's mind went into overdrive, thinking of all the school rules he had violated during the year, wondering which one Mrs. Dodds was talking about.

"Well?" Her tone suggested that if he didn't speak now, he'd forever hold his peace.

"Ma'am, I don't…"

Before Percy could even finish, Mrs. Dodds hissed in his face, "Your time is up."

Mrs. Dodds' eyes began to glow a demonic red. Her fingers stretching into sharp talons. Her jacket melted, morphing into giant, leathery wings. She was no human. She was a terrifying mash-up between a witch, a bat, and whatever monster had giant claws and sharp, yellow teeth.

Percy wasted no time tugging on his necklace, the engraved symbol starting to glow a brilliant gold. With a shaky voice, he yelled.

"Rwy'n galw arnoch chi, gwaywffon sanctaidd y nefoedd!"

For a split second, nothing happened. Mrs. Dodds laughed in his face, at least the scratchy squawking made it sound like she was laughing… before the room was engulfed in a blinding white light, and Percy ended up wielding a shining silver spear.

The spear was a partisan, and it sported intricate, angelic designs, and a matching silver coil wrapped around it. Mrs. Dodds hissed at the new weapon, both in fear and shock.

"That spear does not belong to you…"

Percy stared, wide-eyed at the spear. His legs shaking like jelly, and his arms too numb to even properly hold the spear.

She snarled, "Die, honey!"

Mrs. Dodds flew straight at his face, and as if on instinct, Percy thrusted the spear at her. The spear pierced her with a satisfying hiss, and made a brand new hole in his math teacher. Mrs. Dodds was a sand castle in a power fan. She exploded into yellow powder, vaporized on the spot, leaving nothing but the smell of sulfur and a dying screech and a chill of evil in the air.

The coil on the spear glowed a crimson red, before resorting to it's natural, silver state.

Percy dropped the spear in horror, his eyes looking around the room wildly as he thought of an alibi to explain why he just vaporized his math teacher. Deciding he should get away from the scene of the crime, Percy ran out of the room and back outside.

As soon as Percy left, Mr. Brunner wheeled his motorized wheelchair into the room, eyeing the spear that was slowly turning into silver light.

There was more to Percy Jackson than meets the eye, and Mr. Brunner knew that he had to find out what.

* * *

(A Few Months Later) 9:00 PM – Yancy Academy

Percy sighed in frustration as he threw the Cambridge Guide to Greek Mythology across his dorm room. After pacing around for a while, he picked up the book and went to see Mr. Brunner. He walked downstairs to the faculty office, most of the rooms dark and empty.

At least save for Mr. Brunner's office. The door was ajar, light from his window stretching across the hallway.

Percy was a few steps away from the door before he heard voices inside the office. He paused to listen and heard the familiar voice of his best friend, Grover.

"… worried about Percy, sir."

Percy froze.

"-alone this summer. I mean, a Kindly One in the school! Now that we know for sure, and they know too-"

"We would only make matters worse by rushing him, " Mr. Brunner said. "We need the boy to mature more. "

"But he may not have time. The summer solstice dead-line- "

"Will have to be resolved without him, Grover. Let him enjoy his ignorance while he still can. "

"Sir, he saw her... . "

"His imagination, " Mr. Brunner insisted. "The Mist over the students and staff will be enough to convince him of that. "

Percy made a silent, 'yes' as he finally had proof that he wasn't crazy. Or at least he thought it was proof.

"Sir, I ... I can't fail in my duties again. " Grover's voice was choked with emotion. "You know what that would mean. "

"You haven't failed, Grover, " Mr. Brunner said kindly. "I should have seen her for what she was. Now let's just worry about keeping Percy alive until next fall-"

Percy dropped his mythology book, his eyes wide in shock at what he just heard.

The hallway became silent.

Percy carefully picked up the book and slowly slinked back down the hall.

A shadow slid across the lighted glass of Brunner's office door, the shadow of something much taller than a wheelchair-bound teacher, holding something that looked suspiciously like an archer's bow.

Percy opened the nearest door and slipped inside.

A few seconds later, Percy heard a slow clop-clop-clop, like horse hooves on tile. He held his breath as what sounded like some sort of animal snuffled outside the door. A large, dark shape paused in front of the glass, then moved on.

Somewhere in the hallway, Mr. Brunner spoke. "Nothing, " he murmured. "My nerves haven't been right since the winter solstice. "

"Mine neither, " Grover said. "But I could have sworn ... "

"Go back to the dorm, " Mr. Brunner told him. "You've got a long day of exams tomorrow. "

"Don't remind me. "

The lights went out in Mr. Brunner's office.

After a long time, Percy slipped out of the hallway and made his way back up to the dorm.

Grover was lying on his bed, studying his Latin exam notes like he'd been there all night.

"Hey, " he said, bleary-eyed. "You going to be ready for this test?"

Percy remained silent.

"You look awful. " He frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Just... tired. "

* * *

(The Next Day) Yancy Academy

Percy faced Mr. Brunner after an exhausting 3-hour Latin exam, a sad look on both of their faces.

"Percy, " he said. "Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy. It's ... It's for the best. "

His tone was kind, but the words stung. Even though he was speaking quietly, the other kids finishing the test could hear. Nancy Bobofit smirked and made sarcastic little kissing motions with her lips.

Percy mumbled, "Okay, sir. "

"I mean ... " Mr. Brunner wheeled his chair back and forth, like he wasn't sure what to say. "This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time. "

"Right." Percy's fist shook as he fought against the urge to punch something.

"No, no, " Mr. Brunner said. "Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say ... You're not normal, Percy. That's noth-ing to be-"

"Thanks a lot for reminding me… sir."

"Percy-"

But Mr. Brunner was talking to air.

* * *

(A Day or so Later) Greyhound Bus

As Percy eyed Grover, all twitchy and nervous, he decided to confirm his theories and said, "Looking for Kindly Ones?"

Grover nearly jumped out of his seat. "Wha-what do you mean?"

Percy sighed before confessing about his accidental eavesdropping, leaving out the part where he saw someone holding a bow and arrow.

Grover's eye twitched. "How much did you hear?"

"Oh ... Not much. What's the summer solstice dead-line?"

He winced. "Look, Percy ... I was just worried for you, see? I mean, hallucinating about demon math teachers ...

"Grover-"

"And I was telling Mr. Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs. Dodds, and ... "

"Grover, you're a really, really bad liar. "

His ears turned pink.

From his shirt pocket, he fished out a grubby business card. "Just take this, okay? In case you need me this summer.

The card was in fancy script, and said something about a keeper, and Half-Blood Hill…

"What's Half-"

"Don't say it aloud!" he yelped. "That's my, um ... Sum-mer address. "

Percy frowned. "Right. And you're… the gardener?" Percy asked as he translated keeper into gardener.

Grover made a sour look as the bus made a loud grinding noise.

Black smoke poured from the dashboard and the whole bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs. The driver cursed and limped the Greyhound over to the side of the highway.

After a few minutes clanking around in the engine compartment, the driver announced that we'd all have to get off. Grover and I filed outside with everybody else.

The bus broke down on a stretch of country road-no place you'd notice if you didn't break down there. The highway was dotted with maple trees and filled with litter from passing cars. On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old-fashioned fruit stand.

The stuff on sale looked really good: heaping boxes of bloodred cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider in a claw-foot tub full of ice. There were no customers, just three old ladies sitting in rocking chairs in the shade of a maple tree, knitting a giant pair of socks.

The lady on the right knitted one of them. The lady on the left knitted the other. The lady in the middle held an enormous basket of electric-blue yarn.

All three women looked ancient, with pale faces wrinkled like fruit leather, silver hair tied back in white bandannas, bony arms sticking out of bleached cotton dresses.

Percy looked over at Grover to say something about this and saw that the blood had drained from his face. His nose was twitching.

"Grover?" Percy said. "Hey, man-"

"Tell me they're not looking at you. They are, aren't they?"

"Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those socks would fit me?"

"Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all. "

The old lady in the middle took out a huge pair of scissors-gold and silver, long-bladed, like shears. Grover started to hyperventilate.

"We're getting on the bus."

Percy argued but Grover pried the door open and clambered back inside like a scared goat.

Across the road, the old ladies were watching Percy. They all gave him sour looks, as if though they held some sort of grudge against him. The middle one cut the yarn, and Percy could hear that snip clear across the road.

At the rear of the bus, the driver wrenched a big chunk of smoking metal out of the engine compartment. The bus shuddered, and the engine roared back to life.

The passengers cheered.

"Darn right!" yelled the driver. He slapped the bus with his hat. "Everybody back on board!"

A few minutes later, Percy glanced at a pale-looking Grover.

"Grover?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you not telling me?"

He dabbed his forehead with his shirt sleeve. "Percy, what did you see back at the fruit stand?"

"You mean the old ladies? What is it about them, man? They're not like ... Mrs. Dodds, are they?"

His expression was hard to read, and Percy had a hard time making out what he was thinking about. He said, "Just tell me what you saw. "

"The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn. "

He closed his eyes and made a gesture with his fingers that might've been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something almost-older.

He said, "You saw her snip the cord. "

"Yeah. So?" Percy felt a chill run through him.

"This is not happening, " Grover mumbled. He started chewing at his thumb. "I don't want this to be like the last time. "

"What last time?"

"Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth. "

Percy looked at Grover like he was crazy, but then again, he was supposed to be crazy too.

"Grover. What are you talking about?"

"Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me. "

Percy promised, albeit a bit wary.

"Is this like a superstition or something?" Percy asked curiously.

No answer.

"Grover-that snipping of the yarn. Does that mean somebody is going to die?"

Grover gave Percy a mournful look, like he was already picking the kind of flowers Percy'd like best on his coffin.

* * *

_**(Okay, so that's the first chapter. I promise it'll get better as the story progresses, and I won't be rewriting stuff from the book as much. After all, I'm rewriting the stars for a reason. Till next time.)**_


	2. Percy Gets a Spear Gun

_**(Aight, new chapter! I'm truly sorry about the wait time, I had to have my laptop fixed because it was broken. Before I continue, I have to ask… should I pair Percy with Annabeth, or someone else?)**_

* * *

(Year 1974) Unspecified Location

Eros' eyes widened as he managed to break out of the spell. He had no idea where he was, or what had happened to him. He was tied up with celestial bronze chains against a marble pillar inside a dark room. All he remembered was… that dryad…

A cold breeze suddenly hit his face, and for the first time in a long time, Eros was scared.

"**Eros… Comply to my demands, and you shall know no suffering. The Fates have been playing the game too long now. It's about time someone intervened…"**

Eros looked around, the love god trying to spot where the voice was coming from.

"**Go on. Keep looking. It's not like you'll ever find me."**

Eros stopped struggling.

"What do you want?"

"**Finally. You're asking the important questions. It's very simple really… I want you to do what you do best. Make love."**

"I-I'm sorry… you want me to make love? Like… fornication?"

Eros heard a hand-slapping-face sound somewhere in the room.

"**NO. Shoot two people and make them fall in love."**

"Ah… yeah makes more sense."

Two black-and-white pictures floated down from above, showing a beautiful, raven-haired woman, and a handsome, blonde brit. Eros' eyes focused on the man, his eyes widening at the realization that…

"That's King Arthur."

"**Yes. And like all dramatic love stories, I want him to fall in love with her. A nobody who will give birth to a very important future."**

Eros gawked at that, "So what? You want a new child of the prophecy? Is that it?"

"**No, no. I want to ruin the Fates' game. Getting a new… grandchild of the prophecy is just an absolute bonus."**

Eros paused, "Did you just say grandchild?"

"**Hmm… The most powerful demigod to have ever lived. A king among sea and land."**

"Sea… You wish to break the pact?!" Eros struggled against his chains more.

"Why would I even think of helping you? You're out of your damn mind!"

A small, cylindrical object dropped to the floor. As Eros locked eyes onto it, he started to turn white and his teeth started to chatter.

"**The candle that once burned your soul. It is in my possession. So if you wish not to get burned again…"**

The candle suddenly lit up, making Eros panic even more.

"**You. Shall. Obey."**

Eros nodded once, and his vision turned dark.

* * *

(August 18, 1993) Unspecified Location

The Fates growled at the other person in the room. A hooded dark figure who chuckled at the scene involving before her.

On a giant screen of mist, Sally Jackson lay on a hospital bed, giving birth to what was supposed to be the Fates' trump card. Their ace-up-their-sleeve. But someone had learned of their plan, and that someone changed it up drastically.

"You were a fool to mess up our plan." Clotho said as she threw a glowing ball of yarn at the figure, the yarn stopping midair before dropping to the ground.

"**Who says that Percy Jackson won't still be a pawn in your horrible game? All I'm saying, is that I've let the pawn get to the other side of the board early, so now… he gets to become royalty."**

Atropos sneered as she shook her head in disdain. "You just brought a whole new world upon the child. A world where even mere mortals wish to harm him."

"**He can handle it."**

Lachesis gave off a sly smirk. "You know we're not going to make it easy on him?"

"**Oh… I'm counting on it."**

* * *

(Present Time) Manhattan, New York

Percy felt guilt creep up his spine as he left Grover in the loo and caught a taxi. But that guilt was soon replaced as Percy started having melancholy thoughts of his mom and his dad. Then the happy smile on his face turned into a sneer as he remembered that Gabe would be home to greet him.

A few minutes later, Percy walked into the apartment. Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his beer buddies while the television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn about the floor, and Percy made sure to avoid them like they were radioactive.

"So, you're home." The sudden acknowledgement of his arrival caused Percy to lose balance and step on a beer can, making him curse as stale beer spilled onto his shoes.

"Where's my mom?"

"Working," he said, "you got any cash?" He stated it as more of an order than a question.

Gabe looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift store clothes. He had combed his three, lone hairs… as if though that would draw attention away from all of his horrible attributes. He managed the Electronic Mega-Mart in Queens, a job where he stayed at home playing poker and acting like a potato like he was currently doing.

"I don't have any cash."

Gabe's eyebrow crinkled upwards in amusement. Like a drunk dog, he started sniffing the air.

"You took a taxi from the bus station, " he said. Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change. Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right, Eddie?"

Eddie, the super of the apartment building, looked at Percy sympathetically. "Come on, Gabe. The kid just got here."

"Am I right?" Gabe repeated.

Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas in harmony.

"Fine." Percy threw a wad of bills at Gabe, mentally cursing him. "I hope you lose."

"Your report card came, brain boy! I wouldn't act so snooty!" Gabe snickered after Percy as he briskly walked away.

Percy slammed the door to his room, dropping his suitcase onto the bed. "Home sweet home."

A sweet voice called out to him, "Percy?"

Sally walked into the room, a comforting smile on her face as she approached her son.

"Oh, Percy." Sally pulled Percy into a tight hug. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"

She wore a red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform, and it smelled absolutely divine. Chocolate, licorice, and all the other delicious goodies she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central. She brought out a bag of "free samples", the way she always did when Percy came home.

Percy gave off a happy smile, but in the back of his mind he remembered the weird event in the museum. He shrugged it off and decided to ravish the blueberry sour strings, Sally running her hand through his hair and demanding to know everything he hadn't put in his letters.

Cue the guilt as he thought of the weird attack. Percy sort of had a dilemma with lying about things. Everytime he tried to lie, his necklace would glow just a hint, showing off that he was lying. Only two people knew of this, Percy and his mom.

Of course, the problem would easily be solved if Percy just took the necklace off… but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't know if it was because his mother wanted him to wear it, or he felt safe with it on, or… another unexplainable reason.

Percy never thought he'd see a day when Smelly Gabe would save him.

"Sally, how about some bean dip, huh?"

Percy decided to start with some other things, Grover, a few other shenanigans here and there… but his voice cracked as he started telling the story about the field trip to the museum.

Sally gave him a worried look before adjusting her field of vision to look at both Percy's eyes and his necklace.

"What? Did something happen during the trip? You know lying won't help you…"

"I-uh… I may have blacked out again."

Sally gave the necklace a look, confirming that Percy wasn't lying, before giving him another hug.

"Don't worry about it. Nothing else bad happened… right?"

Percy mentally cursed as his ploy to evade lying didn't work. His mind raced as he though of a different scenario.

Miraculously, Sally seemed to remember something. "I have a surprise for you. We're going to the beach."

Percy's eyes widened, "Montauk?"

"Three nights, same cabin."

"When?"

Sally smiled. "As soon as I get changed."

Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, "Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?"

Percy clenched his fist, ready to punch the lights out of Gabe. But Sally gave him a deep look, 'Be nice to Gabe for a little while. Just until we can get out of here.'

"I was on my way, honey, " she told Gabe. "We were just talking about the trip. "

Gabe's eyes got small. "The trip? You mean you were serious about that?"

Percy frowned in defeat, "I knew it. He won't let us go."

"Of course he will, " Sally said evenly. "Your step-father is just worried about money. That's all. Besides, " she added, "Gabriel won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works. "

Gabe softened a bit. "So this money for your trip ... It comes out of your clothes budget, right?"

Percy rolled his eyes at the idea of a clothes budget as Sally answered, "Yes, honey."

"And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back. "

"We'll be very careful. "

Gabe scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip ... And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game. "

Percy's eye twitched as he imagined kicking Gabe in between the legs and making him prance around like a ballerina.

"I'm sorry, " Percy muttered. "I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now. " Percy's necklace glowed a golden yellow, but it went unseen by Gabe.

Gabe's eyes narrowed as he tried to remember what sarcasm meant and if it applied to Percy's statement.

"Yeah, whatever, " he decided.

He went back to his game.

Sally gave Percy a thankful look as she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Percy. Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about... Whatever you've forgotten to tell me, okay?"

For a split second, anxiety showed in her eyes, but in the blink of an eye it was replaced with a happy sparkle. She ruffled Percy's hair and went to fix Gabe's dip.

As soon as she left, Percy clutched the necklace and decided to do something crazy. He started to talk to the necklace.

Percy very vividly remembered not picking up the spear he had left at the museum, yet somehow he ended up wearing the necklace when he woke up the next day. Ever since that day, Percy decided there was definitely something… unusual about the necklace.

"Um, hello?" A long pause before Percy sighed and muttered, "I knew it, this was a stupid idea."

The necklace then glowed red, as if though insulted.

Percy gasped and caught himself from yelling before he rearranged himself and asked, "What are you?"

The necklace glowed gold before humming and making an inaudible sound.

"What's that?"

The necklace repeated its previous actions.

Percy shook his head. "Man, this just isn't working-"

"**Rhongomyniad."**

"What the f#ck?!" Percy looked around in confusion as he tried to find the source of the voice.

"Percy, are you okay?" Sally asked from the kitchen.

Percy glanced around the room a few more times before shakily saying, "Y-yeah… just a… an insect. Yeah. Big spider."

Percy reached inside his suitcase, taking out a battered, old laptop. After waiting a minute for it to turn on, Percy quickly opened up Google and started to search.

"Rhon… go… my… niad…" Percy eyed the contents of the search and viewed the first one he saw.

"Spear of the legendary King Arthur?" Percy gave the necklace a lopsided look. "Guess I'm in the presence of royalty," Percy said with a mock bow.

The necklace flared a crimson red before Percy was thrown across the room, crashing against the wall. Flecks of dust rained down on his head, making him cough and sputter in confusion.

"Okay… necklace is sensitive to quips. Noted."

This time Sally walked into the room, eyeing Percy who was sitting with his back against the wall, looking like he had the lights punched out of him.

"You all good, honey?"

Percy nodded and said, "The uh… spider. I was chasing it and I tripped and fell."

Sally gave him a disbelieving look before sighing, "I'm almost done with the dip. Pack your things, we should be heading out soon."

* * *

(1 hour later)

Gabe took a break from his poker game to watch us lug our stuff into his car. He kept complaining about losing two important things in his life for the weekend. Not Sally and Percy, Sally's cooking and his '78 Camaro.

"Not a scratch on this car, brain boy. Not a scratch." Gabe threatened Percy as the accused just rolled his eyes in exasperation.

As Gabe lumbered back towards the building, Percy decided to take a hint from Grover and copied the hand gesture he saw Grover do on the bus. The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the stair-case as if he'd been shot from a cannon.

Percy glanced at his necklace, which was pulsing yellow as if though it was laughing. He couldn't help but chuckle too.

Percy got in the car and they got away from Gabe as fast as they could.

The rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.

Percy was absolutely in love with the place.

Percy imagined the beach in it's past, trying to form a mental image of his mom meeting his dad for the first time. It truly was a special place.

Percy listened to the radio to pass the time, and saw a smile form on Sally's face as her favorite song came up on the radio.

_There's a port on a western bay_

_And it serves a hundred ships a day_

_Lonely sailors pass the time away_

_And talk about their homes_

_And there's a girl in this harbor town_

_And she works layin' whiskey down_

_They say "Brandy, fetch another round"_

_She serves them whiskey and wine_

_The sailors say "Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)_

_"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)_

_"Yeah your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea"_

_(Dooda-dit-dooda), (dit-dooda-dit-dooda-dit)_

Percy watched his mom's face seemingly grow younger as she reminisced in the song, she always used to say that it was "their song". And Percy could indeed see some similarities between the song and her life.

They got there at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through their usual cleaning routine. Mother and son walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples Sally had brought from work.

The blue food was kind of a staple.

Gabe and Sally once had an argument about how he thought there was no such thing as blue food, so Sally decided to make near every single food in the house color blue. Percy laughed as he remembered how Gabe had to eat outside for a long time as he refused to eat anything blue.

The duo waited for nightfall before they started a fire, toasting marshmallows and telling stories.

Eventually, Percy asked a very common question between the two of them. His father. Percy knew she'd always say the same things, but it was like every time she said it, it was a brand new revelation.

"He was kind, Percy, " she said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes. "

Sally fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud. "

Percy frowned as he wondered why on earth his dad would be proud of him, a dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years.

"How old was I? I mean… when he left."

She watched the flames. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin. "

"But... He knew me as a baby," Percy asked hopefully.

"No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born. "

Percy made a disappointed 'oh', before emotions flickered across his face. Anger, sadness, the works.

"Are you going to send me away again? To another boarding school?"

She pulled a marshmallow from the fire.

"I don't know, honey. " Her voice was heavy. "I think ... I think we'll have to do something. "

"Because you don't want me around?" Both mother and son cringed after those words.

Sally's eyes welled with tears. She took Percy's hand, and squeezed it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I-I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away. "

Those words reminded Percy of Mr. Brunner's last words to him.

"Because I'm not normal."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe. "

"Safe from what?"

As they're eyes met, Percy remembered all the weird, bad things that had happened to him since childhood.

A one-eyed man in a trench coat stalking him, using a snake as a play toy, and many more weird and unusual things.

Percy struggled not to tell his mom about the old ladies, the museum, and the necklace turning into a spear he used to kill his math teacher. He had a pretty good feeling it would end their vacation in a flash.

"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could, " Sally said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it. "

"My father wanted me to go to a special school?"

"Not a school, " she said softly. "A summer camp. "

Percy gave his mother a very confused look.

"I'm sorry, Percy, " she said, seeing the look in his eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I-I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good. "

"For good? But if it's only a summer camp…"

Sally turned toward the fire, and Percy knew that anymore pressure would start a flow of tears.

* * *

(Sometime Later that Night)

Percy tossed and turned as he had a very vivid dream.

It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf. The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons. The horse reared up and kicked at the eagle's wings. As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuck-led somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder.

Percy ran towards the two animals, desperate to stop them from killing each other. But he was too late. Percy watched in horror as the eagle dove down, it's beak aimed at the horse's wide eyes.

A lightning bolt struck the two animals, and sand exploded all over the beach. When the sand cleared, two armor clad figures stood in the animals' places.

Both of them wore medieval knight-like armor, the two both in fighting stances. One of them had exquisite gold-and-blue armor on, wielding a golden longsword that radiated pulsing blue energy. The opposing knight wore daunting black-and-silver armor, wielding a brilliant silver longsword that seemed to suck out the light from the area.

The two figures faced each other before charging and clashing their swords.

Percy decided this would be a good time to double his efforts as he kept running towards the two. The monstrous voice was humming now, as if though confused yet excited about the prospect of the new fighters.

The black clad figure seemed to have the upper-hand however, as he swung the sword in a flurry of movements that struck against the golden man's chest plate. Percy watched in disgust as black ooze materialized where the blade struck the armor, the ooze melting through the armor slowly.

Rain pelted the two fighters, one overpowering the other. The golden clad man decided to use a final trick, his sword pulsing gold as it released a brilliant white beam of energy that sent the dark knight flying into a sand dune.

The golden knight stood up shakily, using his sword as a makeshift crutch. However, without warning, shadows formed from behind the knight.

Percy tried to warn the golden knight, but his voice ceased to work, and he watched in horror as a golden helmet fell onto the ground with a thud. Crimson blood pooling around it as Percy tried his best to keep from regurgitating the contents of his stomach.

The dark knight pointed his sword at Percy, "You're next."

Percy woke in a cold sweat.

Outside, it really was storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses. There was no horse or eagle on the beach, nor any murderous knights gallivanting about. Just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.

With the next thunderclap, Sally woke. She sat up, eyes wide, and said, "Hurricane. "

Percy was utterly confused. Both by the unreal thought of hurricanes this early in the summer, and of his very realistic and weird dream.

Two sounds drifted into Percy's ears. A distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made his hair stand on end. Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice-someone yelling, pounding on the cabin door.

Percy instinctively clutched his necklace as Sally rushed to the door and threw open the lock.

Grover stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain. But he wasn't... He wasn't exactly Grover.

"Searching all night, " he gasped. "What were you thinking?"

Sally gave her son a terrified look, as if though Grover was a harbinger of bad news. Very bad news.

"Percy, " she said, shouting to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

Percy couldn't formulate any words, his right hand clutching his necklace and his left pinching his leg to make sure he still wasn't in la la land.

"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he yelled. "It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"

Sally was bugging out, giving Percy a stern look. With a serious tone she said, "Percy. Tell me now!"

Percy stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Dodds, and Sally stared at him, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning.

She grabbed her purse, tossed Percy a rain jacket, and said, "Get to the car. Both of you. Go!"

Grover ran for the Camaro… but he wasn't running, exactly. He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to Percy. HE understood how Grover could run so fast and still limp when he walked.

Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves.

We tore through the night along dark country roads. Wind slammed against the Camaro. Rain lashed the wind-shield. Percy imagined that Sally probably had night vision or something because she stepped on the gas like it was clear, sunny skies.

Percy stared at Grover for a while before saying, "So you and my mom… you two know each other?"

Graver's eyes flitted to the rearview mirror, though there were no cars behind us. "Not exactly, " he said. "I mean, we've never met in person. But she knew I was watching you. "

"Watching me?"

"Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend, " he added hastily. "I am your friend. "

"Urn ... What are you, exactly?"

"That doesn't matter right now. "

"It doesn't matter? From the waist down, my best friend is a donkey-"

Grover let out a sharp, throaty "Blaa-ha-ha!"

"Goat!" he cried.

"What?"

"I'm a goat from the waist down. "

"You just said it didn't matter. "

"Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you underhoof for such an insult!"

"Whoa. Wait. Satyrs. You mean like ... Mr. Brunner's myths?"

"Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth, Percy? Was Mrs. Dodds a myth?"

"So you admit there was a Mrs. Dodds!"

"Of course. "

"Then why-"

"The less you knew, the fewer monsters you'd attract, " Grover said, like that should be perfectly obvious. "We put Mist over the humans' eyes. We hoped you'd think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize who you are. "

"Who I-wait a minute, what do you mean?"

The weird bellowing noise rose up again somewhere behind us, closer than before. Whatever was chasing us was still on our trail.

"Why didn't you try to protect me when Mrs. Dodds attacked? Why have me go at it alone with her using a magical necklace spear?"

Grover gave Percy a puzzled look, "Magical necklace spear?"

"Percy, there's too much to explain and not enough time." Sally said, as she tore through the road.

"Safety from what? Who's after me?"

"Oh, nobody much, " Grover said, obviously still miffed about the donkey comment. "Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions. "

"Grover!"

"Sorry, Mrs. Jackson. Could you drive faster, please?"

Percy tried to wrap his head around the whole thing, trying to convince himself it was a dream as he pinched himself for the nth time that night.

Sally swerved into a narrower road, white picket fences and strawberry picking signs plastered all around them as they sped by.

"Where are we going?" Percy asked.

"The summer camp I told you about. The place your father wanted to send you." Percy could feel the sadness emanating from his mother's words.

"The place you didn't want me to go. "

"Please, dear, " Sally begged. "This is hard enough. Try to understand. You're in danger. "

"Because some old ladies cut yarn. "

"Those weren't old ladies, " Grover said. "Those were the Fates. Do you know what it means-the fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you're about to ... When someone's about to die. "

"Whoa. You said 'you. '"

"No I didn't. I said 'someone. '"

"You meant 'you. ' As in me. "

"I meant you, like 'someone. ' Not you, you. "

"Boys!" Sally said.

Sally drifted to the right, swerving past a dark, hulking figure now lost behind them in the storm.

"What was that?"

Sally ignored Percy's question, instead just muttering under her breath.

Various thoughts ran through Percy's mind as he remembered all the weird things that had happened to him. His thoughts were interrupted however, as a blinding flash and a jaw-rattling boom sent the car into a tumble.

"Percy!" Sally shouted.

"I'm okay."

The car hadn't really exploded. They'd swerved into a ditch. The driver's-side doors were wedged in the mud. The roof had cracked open like an eggshell and rain was pouring in.

Lightning. That was the only explanation. They'd been blasted right off the road. Next to Percy in the backseat was a big motionless lump. "Grover!"

Percy shook Grover in despair, sighing in relief as he managed to groan out, "Food…"

"Percy. We have to…"

Percy looked back, as lightning flashed, a dark silhouette appeared. It was a large guy, like a big, buff football player. His top half was bulky and fuzzy, and Percy swore he saw horns…

"Percy, " Sally said, deadly serious. "Get out of the car. "

"Climb out the passenger's side!" Sally told him. "Percy, you have to run. Do you see that big tree?"

"What?"

Another flash of lightning, and through the smoking hole in the roof Percy saw the tree she meant: a huge, White House Christmas tree-sized pine at the crest of the nearest hill.

"That's the property line, " Sally said. "Get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don't look back. Yell for help. Don't stop until you reach the door. "

"Mom, you're coming too. "

Her face was pale, her eyes as sad as when she looked at the ocean.

"No!" Percy shouted. "You are coming with me. Help me carry Grover. "

"Food!" Grover moaned, a little louder.

"He doesn't want us, " Sally told Percy. "He wants you. Besides, I can't cross the property line. "

"But... "

"We don't have time, Percy. Go. Please. "

Anger flickered across Percy's face before his hand reached for his necklace. Calm swept across his face as he realized what he had to do.

"Mom. Get out of the car and hide… I think I have a plan."

Sally glanced at Percy wide-eyed, noticing that he was clutching his necklace. "No. No! You can't fight him, Percy. Please, don't." Her voice shook with each word, but Percy was determined to keep his loved ones safe.

"Get Grover and get out of here, mom."

Percy glared forward, and nearly stepped back at what he saw. He was seven feet tall, easy, his arms and legs like something from the cover of Muscle Man magazine-bulging biceps and triceps and a bunch of other 'ceps, all stuffed like baseballs under vein-webbed skin. He wore no clothes except underwear, bright white Fruit of the Looms-which would've looked funny, except that the top half of his body was so scary. Coarse brown hair started at about his belly button and got thicker as it reached his shoulders.

His neck was a mass of muscle and fur leading up to his enormous head, which had a snout as long as my arm, snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel black eyes, and horns-enormous black-and- white horns with points you just couldn't get from an electric sharpener.

Percy blinked the rain out of his eyes. "That's-"

"Pasiphae's son, " Sally said as she hoisted Grover onto her shoulders and began to stumble uphill. "I wish I'd known how badly they want to kill you. "

"But he's the Min-"

"Don't say his name, " she warned. "Names have power. "

Sally gave her son one last fleeting look, before giving him shaky farewell and climbing up the hill faster.

Percy stood his ground. Rain pounding against his jacket, his mouth twitching both in fear and excitement.

"Rwy'n galw arnoch chi, gwaywffon sanctaidd y nefoedd!"

Percy's necklace glowed white, and he smiled shakily as he wielded the glowing, silver spear. The coil suddenly changed colors, going from a brilliant silver to a rainy blue. The spear started to vibrate, and Percy's hold on it started to wane. He felt like he was trying to use a lawnmower without reading the instructions.

The creature roared, only a 20 or so feet away from Percy. He lowered his head and charged, two razor sharp horns aimed right at Percy's chest.

Percy dropped the spear in utter fear, his life flashing before his eyes. But he watched in utter amazement as the spear emitted a beam of water, like a super charged blast from a water gun, that made the creature fly into a pine tree.

"Holy sh! I have a spear gun!"

Percy picked up the spear cautiously as the coil went back to silver. Slowly pulsing blue as if though it was charging up for another water blast.

"Rhongomyniad… You're awesome."

The spear hummed in agreement.

The minotaur rose, a mean look plastered onto it's face. It growled at Percy, obviously irritated about being blasted into a tree.

Percy smirked and hefted the spear, "Sorry. Wanna' try that again?"

The minotaur roared in answer.

"Let's do this."

* * *

_**(Aight! Sorry about ending the chapter like that. I just really wanted to get this chapter to the minotaur part, although I'm surprised this chapter is already really long, and that's why I'm stopping it here. Tune in for more!)**_


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